Monday, June 15, 2009

"Another Monday Night" by Swingadelic (Jazz Artist from New Jersey(NJ))

On "Another Monday Night," the latest CD from Swingadelic, the accomplished "little" big band from the NY area shines as an ensemble as much as they do a collection of prolific soloists, proving the timelessness of sparkling and proficient jazz in an era when it sometimes feels like the great American invention has been marginalized. Bristling with solos of melody and bravura – like the stratospheric tenor of "Dance With You" or the deft piano skills of the "Puttin' On the Ritz"-like "Early Morning Special" – this group resembles no less a band (though half the size) than the famed Count Basie Orchestra, investing each number with volleys of inspired but precise mayhem. Can they swing? Absolutely! Their take on Ellington's "The Gal From Joe's" is insistent and nuanced. Can they get down and dirty? The dynamics of the Basie-esque "Buddy's Thang" make that a resounding "yes." What about the blues? They've got it covered. "Busy Body Blues" and "Big Band Blues" are steeped in the language and phraseology of the idiom's best practitioners. They do vocals too: "Back In New York City" is an excellent original, praising the city that never sleeps with a treatment that is both classic and contemporary – or, if you will, timeless. The music and playing on Swingadelic's latest disc "Another Monday Night," will want you hearing more of this swinging jazz with the kind of flair, melody, and dynamics to stir the heart and move the feet.